A Thing of the Past
by lilacbush80
Summary: Terra is back, but doesn't think anyone besides BB is ready to accept her. How long can they keep their blossoming romance a secret? And how long can Terra remain good? The last chapter is finally up!
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans

A/N: This is a repost of my original story, "A Thing of the Past." I screwed up on it and am very sorry. Thank you to all who read it and reviewed. I'll try to post often, but I make no promises.

A Thing of the Past, repost

"Hi Beast Boy."

My eyes widen in shock as my heart skips a beat. It is a voice I will never forget, a voice I thought I would never hear again. It comes from one I had grown very fond of, one who left me more than a year ago.

I see her reflection in the water of the lake that surrounds the tower. I am sitting in our spot, the spot where I found her skipping rocks her first night at the tower. She's just as pretty as I remember her, only her eyes have changed. They have lost their joy only to be replaced by wistfulness. My heart goes out to her. I want to jump up and hug her. I want to tell her how much I missed her. I want to tell her that all is forgiven and forgotten.

But I quickly suppress these feelings. The last time she was here, I listened to my heart and my friends and I were nearly killed. It's the mind's turn to do the talking, and right now, it's telling me to remain cool and cautious towards her.

I flick a pebble into the water causing ripples to obscure her reflection. "I see your skill at skipping rocks hasn't improved," she says quietly. Her lame attempt to lighten the mood. I turn my head away from her, closing my eyes and sighing loudly.

"What do you want, Terra?" I say tiredly. Just saying her name causes my heart to beat faster.

"Can I sit down?" she asks, still using that quiet voice. She's acting so differently, I think confusedly. When I first met her, she was so outgoing, so carefree. Now she was being so quiet, almost as if she were scared. Having betrayed your friends and nearly killing them must change a person, I conclude spitefully.

"It's a free country," I respond coldly. "Besides, I was just leaving." I begin to rise.

"No, wait, please," she says fervently as she reaches towards me. "Just hear what I have to say first."

I wait a moment. "Fine," I reply stonily, resuming my original position.

She sits down slowly, drawing her legs up to rest her chin on her knees as she wraps her arms around them.

We sit in silence for about a minute when curiosity finally gets the better of me. "So, how did you get here?" I try to remain cool towards her, but it's so hard with all these mixed feelings I have towards her.

She sighs and looks ahead towards the now setting sun. "Do you believe in miracles?" she finally asks timidly.

It was the last thing I had expected. I don't believe it for a second. I roll my eyes and give a short bark of laughter. "Yeah, right," I murmur.

She closes her eyes in defeat. Tears begin to flow slowly down her cheeks. She clenches her fists, trying to keep her hands from shaking. I see she's trying to keep her emotions under control, but she's not doing very well.

I feel a small ache in my chest at her grief. I decide to give in slightly to the sympathy I'm feeling for her and try to keep an open mind. Stranger things have happened, after all. "Fine," I say. "Care to explain this miracle?" I try to keep the sarcasm out of my voice but fail miserably.

She begins to rise. "No. This was a mistake," she says shakily. "I knew I shouldn't have come back, but I just wanted to see you and tell you I'm sorry. I'll leave now and never bother you again, you'll never see me again."

She turns and before I know it, I'm standing and holding her wrist tightly. She turns back with a look of confusion that mirrors my own. We stare at each other for what seems an eternity but is really only about a minute when I remember that I'm supposed to be giving her the cold shoulder.

I let go of her wrist abruptly and take a step away from her, looking away as I mumble "I don't want you to go." I clear my throat and add some bitterness to my voice as I continue. "At least not until you answer some of my questions first."

She's been looking at her wrist since I let it go and now she begins to rub it lightly. "Ask away," she responds absently.

I begin to walk around her slowly, maintaining my cold composure, as I make an attempt at an interrogation. "Let's try this again," I say calmly. "Why do you think you were brought back by a miracle?"

She drops her hands to her sides as her shoulders sag. "Why should I even bother? You'll only laugh at me again," she says dejectedly.

I stop walking and turn to face her. Anger begins to well up inside of me. I throw my hands up in the air. "What did you expect, Terra, huh? You've been dead to me for over a year now. Today you're back. Did you think I would welcome you with open arms, huh? Not after what you did. In case you've forgotten, let's review some of our past." Scorn drips from my voice as I count on my fingers. "You lied to me, you betrayed me, you even tried to kill me."

I start to walk around her again as I continue my ranting. "The Titans and I welcomed you into our home. We knew next to nothing about you or your past, and yet we were okay with that. You made me believe that I could trust you. And because of that, I told the others that they could trust you." I can feel angry tears begin to stream down my face but still I continue. "And what do you do? You run off to Slade. You become his apprentice. You try to destroy the city. And through all that, you didn't give a damn about anybody but yourself."

I stopped walking and faced her. Terra had her head bowed, her hair covering her face. Her arms were wrapped around her as though she were cold. I could hear her sniffle every now and then.

"Then, at the very end, you came through for us." My voice had taken on a tone of sarcastic amazement. "You stand up to Slade. You may have even killed him. Rather than destroy the city, you save it. And you leave me."

I stood there, shaking all over. It felt like there was a battle raging inside of me. I closed my eyes tightly as I tried to control myself. I wanted to hurt her so she could feel the pain she had caused me yet I wanted to comfort her as well. I wanted to hit her and hug her at the same time.

Finally, I couldn't keep it in anymore. I threw back my head and cried out to the sky in anguish. The ice I had forced to surround my heart melted. The bitter façade I had worked so hard to maintain finally broke down as I let my true emotions come through. When I ran out of breath, I fell to my knees before her and began sobbing.

"Why, Terra? Why did you have to leave me?" I ask between sobs. I know I must look pitiful kneeling here before her but I don't care. I just want the hurting to stop.

I continue to weep before her when I feel her hand lightly touch the top of my head. I give a small gasp in surprise. She strokes my head gently as I calm down and my tears start to subside.

She kneels down and wraps her arms around my neck, pulling me in closer as I rest my head upon her shoulder. I wrap my arms around her waist awkwardly and begin to hiccup softly. She rests her head atop mine, continuously stroking my head.

"I had to start my redemption somewhere," she whispers to me. "I have so much to make up for. I know that what I did was wrong. I'm so sorry I hurt you so much. I was just so confused." She begins to rock slightly, backwards and forwards. I continue to listen uncertainly, not sure what I should think.

"When I first met you all, you seemed so perfect. You had a home, friends, a city that loved you and relied on you. I had nothing. I had been run out of more cities than I could remember. I just didn't feel like I belonged. Slade offered to help me. When I thought you had told everyone I couldn't control my powers, just like Slade said you would, I felt so betrayed. Slade helped me. It came with a price, though. At the time, I didn't care. I just wanted to be like all of you. Slade convinced me that I could never be like you. He filled my head with lies.

"When I came back as a spy, I was given orders to destroy the Titans from the inside out. I gained your trust. I pretended to be your friend. But the longer I spent with all of you, especially you, Beast Boy, the more I really wanted to be your friend. Maybe even more. I tried to forget Slade. But Slade wouldn't forget me. After that fight we had at the carnival, Slade trained me so hard for our last battle. Not just physically, but mentally as well. He would hurt me when I didn't do what he wanted." Terra began to cry softly.

"I never forgot about you, though, Beast Boy. In the end, I was so tired of being Slade's puppet. I couldn't be like him. I had to stop him. It was time I took responsibility for my actions. That's why I stayed behind to save the city at the end. I had to make sure everyone was safe, especially you. I knew that I wouldn't make it out alive, but I also knew that it was the right thing to do."

She pulled back slightly, arms still wrapped around me, to look at my face. "That's why I believe I was brought back by a miracle. I should be dead right now. Instead, I woke up a few days ago to find myself lying in the cave, alive, though barely.

"At first, I couldn't move. My whole body ached. For many hours, I just laid there, thinking, as I slowly regained control of my body. When I was able to look around, I knew that a lot of time had passed. The lava had cooled and become hard. There were small pieces of rock littered around me. I was covered in dirt and my clothes were in tatters. I didn't know what any of it meant. All I knew was that I had to get back to see you. I found a place to clean up and get some new clothes. And then I came here."

I stared at her blankly. I think I was in shock. She had just poured her soul out to me and all I could do was stare at her. Finally, I looked into her tortured eyes and saw the invisible scars leftover from her experience with Slade. I understood that her pain, though different from mine, was just as severe. This was something she would have to live with for the rest of her life, knowing that what she had done may be forgiven, but never forgotten.

My expression softens. A small smile began to form at the corners of her mouth. We hug tightly. Tears of happiness began to trickle down my cheeks. For the first time in over a year, I felt at peace. I never wanted to let her go.

"Beast Boy," she whispers.

"It's all in the past, Terra."


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: To those who already read my original story, this is the real second chapter and it has a different ending. Enjoy! Don't forget to review.

A Thing of the Past, Chapter 2

"Beast Boy? Beast Boy? Beast Boy!"

I awoke slowly to find myself lying in bed. How did I get here, I wondered groggily. There was someone hovering beside my bed. I sat up suddenly in surprise only to find that it was Starfire.

"What the heck, Star? You know you're supposed to knock before entering," I shouted. I noticed at this time that I was still wearing my suit, though it was now incredibly wrinkled from my having slept on it. Man, I must have really been beat last night, I though in puzzlement, if I couldn't even change into my night clothes.

She shrank back slightly at my harsh tone. "I apologize for entering without your consent, but, Beast Boy, I did knock," she started timidly. "I knocked for nearly five minutes. When you did not answer, I thought that something may be wrong, so I entered and found that you were still sleeping. Tell me, is not one o'clock in the afternoon quite late to sleep, even for you?"

I felt badly for having lashed out at Star and was about to apologize when her words struck home. It was already one o'clock? How could I have slept away more than half of the day?

"What do you need, Star?" I asked absently as I tried to figure out what was going on.

Her face brightened with delight. "I have come with joyous news. We are all going to the mall of shopping and wish for you to accompany us on our quests for the items we seek. It shall be a day of great fun and frolicking. Please say that you will come?" She finished by giving me a tight hug that cut off my air supply.

Suddenly, I remembered the events of last night. Terra had returned. I had to find her, now.

"I'm sorry, Star," I gasped. "I can't make it. Can I breathe now?"

She released me. She looked crestfallen. "This causes me great sorrow," she said quietly. "We were hoping this trip might help in alleviating your grievous mood. You have been quite downhearted, especially as of late. Robin believes that this is because the anniversary of Terra's...passing...was only last week—"

"I don't want to talk about it, Star," I interrupted irritably. I had to get her out of my room. I resorted to a lie. "I'm just not feeling well, that's all. I just need some more rest." I started to rub my stomach to show her how sick I was.

She stared at me blankly. "Oh," she said in surprise, understanding having finally dawned on her. "You have an ache in your stomach? Then I shall stay and prepare for you the pudding of healing." She stared flying for the door.

"No!" I cried out. If it was anything like her other puddings, then I really would be sick. I lightened my tone so I wouldn't hurt her feelings. "I mean, no, thank you, Star," I said sheepishly. "I think that rest is all that I need. Rest with a lot of peace and quiet. So, you all go to the mall so I can get some rest, okay?"

Her face brightened. "I shall inform the others and we shall be gone in a Tameranian minute." She seemed happy as she flew away which made me feel less lousy about having lied to her.

Now I had a problem. I had to find Terra, but I had no idea where she was. I racked my brain, trying to remember. Surely we would have set up a way to meet again. I was so deep in thought that I failed to hear my closet door open and see a figure emerge.

"So, are they gone yet?" Terra asked.

I yelped in surprise and fell off the top bunk of my bed. Fortunately, there was so much junk on the floor that my landing was padded. I got up slowly, rubbing my slightly sore behind.

"Terra," I yelled. "What are you doing here?"

"Nice to see you, too," she replied in amusement.

"No, really, what are you doing here?" I asked again, my tone slightly panicky. "Do the others know that you're here? What's going on?"

She looked at me quizzically. "Are you all right?"

I was beginning to freak out. "No," I said in a shaky voice. "I'm having trouble remembering things this morning. Like, what happened last night? When did we get back? Why are you in my room?" My eyes widened in shock. "We didn't do anything, did we?" I started to feel really sick and sat on the bottom bunk, placing my head between my legs.

"Hey, hey, it's okay," Terra said soothingly. She sat close beside me and placed a hand on my back, rubbing lightly. "It was a lot to handle in one night. We were out pretty late. You started to fall asleep, so I brought you back here. By then, Raven had come out of her room so I couldn't leave. I crashed on the lower bunk and woke up when I heard Starfire knocking. That's why I was in the closet. You know the rest."

I was feeling more relaxed now. Terra's explanation made sense. I mean, if I was half asleep, of course I wouldn't remember what happened. I looked up and gave her a grateful look. "Thanks, Terra," I said as I leaned over and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek.

She began to blush slightly and had to bow her head to hide it beneath her hair. I smiled coyly at her reaction. I felt a light touch on my hand. I looked down to find that her fingers were now laced in mine. My heart began to race when she squeezed my hand lightly and laid her head on my shoulder. I never wanted this moment to end.

"So, what should we do now?" she asked slyly.

I pulled back a little so I could look into her face. "I have an idea," I said thickly, almost growling. I leaned over and caught her lips in a kiss.

It was totally spontaneous. I think I took her by surprise. It was my first kiss and it started out very cold, just my lips on hers. I began to pull away, mortified at what I had done, until I felt her arms wrap around my neck, drawing me back to her. This was becoming intense. Her lips began to move against mine, coaxing them into action. Her tongue roamed around my lips before journeying into my mouth. I began to mimic her actions as I wrapped my arms around her waist and pulled her into my lap. She let out a soft moan, making me want her so much more.

I had to break the kiss as my need for air overcame me. We stared at each other, eyes glazed, lips swollen, as we tried to figure out what had just happened.

"So, I take it that wasn't your first kiss," I said, slightly out of breath.

Her cheeks began to redden and she turned her head away as though she were embarrassed. "I'm sorry, Beast Boy. When you're out on the road as long as I've been," she said quietly, "you tend to meet quite a few people. Some of them were nicer than others. I tried to have a relationship with some of these people. A few became intense, though I never went all the way with any of them. In the end, I would screw up and they would run me out of town with everyone else."

I placed my thumb and forefinger on her chin and gently pulled her head back towards me so I could see her face. Tears were coursing down her cheeks. I brushed them away lightly and gave her a lopsided grin. "Hey, it's okay now," I told her amiably. "I'm not angry about it." I changed my tone to sound more enticing. "I was just wondering if you'd want to teach me some more about kissing."

That got a giggle out of her. She sniffled and we embraced tightly. "Anytime," she whispered in my ear.

"So," I said, trying to change the subject. "You up for getting something to eat."

She released me and slid off my lap. I missed her warmth immediately. "You got any of Star's puddings around?" she said nonchalantly as she sauntered out the door.

My mouth dropped open in amazement. I followed her slowly, shaking my head slightly. And the others think my eating habits are weird, I thought jovially.


	3. Chapter 3

A Thing of the Past, Chapter 3

When did life become so complicated, I thought to myself as I snuck through the tower, trying to make as little noise as possible. It was four o'clock in the morning and I was just returning from a date with Terra. Ever since she had returned a week ago, I had been doing nothing but lying and sneaking around so the others wouldn't find out about her. I didn't like it, but I didn't think that the others would accept her back. They would never understand.

I had just reached the hallway that led to my room when I let out the breath I was not aware I had been holding. I made it. I was feeling pretty good so I let down my guard and started to hum softly. That was my mistake.

"Where have you been?" snapped a voice from the living room.

I jumped slightly, having not expected anyone to be up this late. I turned around and slowly made my way into the room. I could make out a spiky-haired figure sitting on the couch in the darkened room, staring straight ahead at an equally darkened television. He rose and began to saunter over to where I stood, turning on the light on his way. I decided to lie.

"Hey, Robin, what are you doing up this late? I just had to use the bathroom. I guess I'll be going now. See you at breakfast." I said this all hurriedly and turned to make a hasty retreat.

"No," he said. There was an eerie stillness and determination in his face. "We need to talk."

I turned back, feeling slightly nervous. My hands began to shake, so I hid them behind my back, looking anywhere but at him. "What do you want to talk about?" I asked innocently.

"I think you know," he said seriously.

I kept my mouth shut and my face blank. I had to be strong, for Terra. Robin couldn't know about her, not yet. I shrugged my shoulders. "Nope," I said simply.

He sighed as a look of sadness appeared on his face. "Look, Beast Boy, you're my friend. I know that you've been going through a difficult time with Terra's passing, we all have. But you were the closest to her so I know that it hit you the hardest. For about a year now you've been depressed, hardly eating, rarely sleeping—"

"Are you going somewhere with this?" I interrupted impatiently. I didn't know what he was up to and at the moment I didn't care. "I would like to get back to sleep—you know, what normal people do during the night?"

"How can you go back to sleep? You were never there in the first place." His words came out in a sharp hiss and he began to walk around me. "I know this because you're still wearing you're uniform."

Damn detective, I thought bitterly. "I fell asleep in it," I countered hastily.

"If you fell asleep in it, it would be wrinkled and your hair would be messed up," he countered easily.

I looked down at myself. He was right, my clothes did still look relatively nice. "I don't move very much when I sleep," I said weakly.

He stopped in front of me, crossing his arms over his chest. I could tell that he was unconvinced. "Beast Boy, I've seen you sleep. You roll more often than a pair of dice in Las Vegas." He shook his head slightly. "I respect your privacy, but as the leader of this team, I have to be aware of what's going on with my teammates. Now, about a week ago, you started lying to us like this to cover up for your sneaking out. You know that you're free to come and go as you please. So just what have you been doing?"

"I can't tell you," I said softly.

He opened his mouth but shut it quickly. It was as if he had wanted to say something but thought better of it. I began to leave, figuring he was done. I was wrong.

"It's not drugs, is it?" he blurted out.

I stopped in mid-step. My mouth literally dropped open. "What did you say?" I whispered calmly, having not turned around yet.

He sighed loudly and I could hear him start to move around. "Look, I'm sorry. I didn't want to have to ask, but you didn't leave me much of a choice," he said quickly. "It's not just the lying and sneaking around. You've been acting strangely—"

"So you think I'm on drugs?" I interrupted indignantly. I couldn't face him, not yet. I was outraged. I wanted to yell and scream at him. I wanted to hit him so badly. If I didn't look at him, I could at least keep my voice calm.

"I didn't want to," he replied quietly. "Since you won't tell me what's going on, I had to go by what I saw. You've been lying and sneaking around. You hardly eat anything. You never want to hang out with us anymore. When you are around us, you're off in your own world, not even paying attention to what's going on around you. Cyborg and I have beaten your video game scores so much that your name no longer appears on the top ten lists, but you don't care anymore. Now tell me, does this not sound like drug use?"

I stood there, stunned, as I thought about what he had said. He had a point, it did look really bad for me. My anger was replaced with remorse. Because I had been keeping Terra a secret, I was losing my friends' trust. If I kept this up, I may even lose their friendships. I had to tell him the truth, or some of it, at least.

"I've been seeing someone," I said as I turned around and faced him. "We've been doing stuff now for about a week. Legal stuff. She's really nice and I like her—a lot. I wanted her to meet you all, but she doesn't feel ready yet. That's why I've been acting so strangely lately. I'm sorry."

Robin stood there, staring at me blankly. I guess I must have surprised him. I hadn't exactly lied to him, I tried to convince myself silently, only left out some of the more minor details. Like whom the girl was.

We stood there for another moment before he finally smirked. "I should have known," he said playfully. "Another girl, huh?"

I returned his smile. "It's like I keep telling you guys," I replied smugly. "I'm a babe magnet."

He chuckled and rolled his eyes at me. "Just don't let it happen again," he said lightly. He gave me a small pat on the shoulder as he walked by, making his way to his room.

I stood there for a moment before releasing a sigh of relief. Turning off the light, I tiredly made my way to my room where I slept the day away.


	4. Chapter 4

A Thing of the Past, Chapter 4

"Well, good morning, sunshine!" Cyborg bellowed when I entered the living room.

I glared at him as I made my way over to the couch. He was too absorbed with his game against Robin to even notice. "What's so great about it?" I mumbled, plopping myself down beside him.

"The fact that it's over?" Raven asked in her monotone voice. She was sitting and reading in her usual spot. I looked at her questioningly. Without looking up, she merely pointed to a nearby window where I found that the sun was setting rather than rising.

This means that I slept away the entire day, I thought dazedly. Yet, I felt no more rested than I did when I went to bed this morning. I was started out of my reverie by a shout.

"No!" It was Robin. He jumped off the couch and began stomping around, throwing his control down in the process. He had obviously just lost against Cyborg again. Obscenities came spewing out of his mouth faster than I thought humanly possible. We all just sat by and waited for it to end like every other time. Having finally run out of things to say, Robin returned to his seat to fume silently.

"So," Cyborg asked cheerfully, focusing all his attention on me now, "when do we get to meet her?"

I stared at him blankly. "Who?" I asked, puzzled. Then I remembered: I told Robin about Terra. Kind of.

"Why, your new friend of course," Starfire exclaimed as she flew in from the kitchen with a bottle of mustard. She sat beside me and happily took a sip before continuing. "Robin has told us what he knows of her, which is really not much at all. Now, please, tell us what you know of her. What is her name? Where does she hail from? Does she enjoy mustard as much as I?"

I looked over at Robin in disbelief. I could feel the anger begin to well up inside of me. What'd he do, tell everyone the first chance he got, I thought spitefully. He looked at me out of the corner of his eyes and only shrugged his shoulders.

"What's to tell?" I said in irritation. "She's a nice girl and I like her a lot. End of discussion." I began to rise, but Cyborg pushed me back down.

"No, no, no. That's definitely not all. Why are you being so secretive about her, BB?" he inquired.

I looked around at all of them. Were they really ready to hear that Terra was back? How would they react? I suddenly had an idea.

"What if," I started slowly, "I was to tell you that she was—like—Terra?"

This could work for me, I thought happily. If they had a good reaction towards a girl like Terra, surely they would accept the real Terra back. And if the reaction was bad...let's just hope it's not bad. I stood up and turned around so that I could see them all at once.

They stared at me, their faces expressionless. Raven was still looking at her book, but she hadn't turned the page since I had entered the room. "In what way?" she asked suspiciously, finally looking up at me.

I began to pace slightly. "Well, for one, she's had a rough past. Um—she has no family, at least not that I'm aware of. She's had trouble finding a place where she feels she belongs. Uh—she has trouble making friends and keeping them. She's made some pretty bad choices in the past that she's still trying to make up for." I paused for a moment to think if I should tell them anymore. "Oh, yeah, and I like her."

The room was silent as they all took in this new information. I started to have second thoughts about this brilliant idea of mine. "Any questions?" I asked timidly.

Starfire was the first to speak. "Where is she staying?"

"I think she's staying by herself in a hotel," I guessed. I really wasn't sure. Terra and I had always made plans in advance on where and when to meet for our dates. I'd have to be sure and ask her about that the next time I saw her.

"This cannot be," Starfire cried out indignantly as she suddenly stood up. "A friend of yours staying by herself? You must go to her at once and tell her to move in with us." She stopped for a moment and her face lit up. "I will go to prepare a special meal for her in the mean time," she finished happily and started to fly away. Robin grabbed her by the boot before she could get very far.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Slow down there a bit, Star," he said slightly cautious. "Let's not forget what happened the last time we opened our doors for a new roomie. How about we start with the basics? Like, does she have a name?"

I had thought up of something in advance. "Sara," I replied. It rhymed with Terra, so I hoped it would be easier for me to remember.

"Where's she getting the money to stay in a hotel?" Raven asked, still suspicious.

I shrugged my shoulders. "Like a said, I think that's where she's staying," I responded, slightly annoyed. "For all I know, it could be a cave. I'll have to ask her, okay?"

"Where did you meet her?" Cyborg asked, trying to change the subject.

"Down by the bay," I answered shortly. I was trying to keep my answers as simple as I could. It made me feel like I was on trial.

Robin leaned forward slightly. "Does she have any powers?" he asked seriously.

"Not that I've seen," I replied quickly. It wasn't a complete lie. I hadn't seen Terra use any of her powers since she had returned. I'd have to be sure to ask her about that, too, the next time I saw her.

"Do you like her as much as you liked Terra?" Raven asked quietly.

I stared at her blankly. I hadn't been expecting that question. "What do you mean?"

"I mean that your feelings for Terra blinded you to who she really was inside. She tricked you, she tricked all of us. By doing this, she hurt you. She hurt you greatly." Raven turned her head to face the window where the sun had just dipped below the horizon. Her voice became quieter, filled with tenderness. "I just don't want to see you hurt again."

I was taken aback. Raven didn't want to see me hurt? That would mean that she cared about me, right? I thought in bewilderment. Robin was speaking now.

"None of us want to see you hurt again," he said kindly. "That's why we're being so careful about your new girlfriend. But, if you feel that you can trust her, then we're willing to give her a chance. After all, we're all a friendly bunch." He looked at Raven skeptically. "Well, the majority of us, anyway."

"Yeah," Cyborg said merrily. "Invite her over for dinner. Let us all get a look see at this new girl. I'll even let you," he gulped, "do the cooking."

This got at least a smile out of everyone. "Well, I have a date with her tonight," I confessed. "So, I'll ask her if she's ready to meet you all. Okay?"

They all agreed and went back to their activities. That went rather well, I thought in delight as I left to prepare for my date. Let's hope it goes that well with Terra.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: I'd like to thank all who have read my story and reviewed. It's good to know that there really are people out there who are enjoying it. Even if you're not enjoying it, review and let me know how I can fix it. I'm really flexible. Or I'm just really desperate for reviews. Well, hope you enjoy this chapter. Don't forget to review!

A Thing of the Past, Chapter 5

"Guess who?" a raspy voice whispered as a pair of hands covered my eyes.

It was late at night in Jump City Park where I sat waiting for my date to arrive. I gave a smirk. I already knew it was her, but I thought that I'd have some fun first. Bringing my arms up slightly, I began to stroke my chin in a thoughtful manner.

"Hmm," I contemplated, "this is a tough one. Is it Raven?"

She snickered. "Yeah right," she whispered. "Guess again."

"Hmm," I murmured. "How about Starfire?"

"You're way off," she whispered. "Do you give up?"

"Well, I've got one guess left," I told her, "though it's kind of a long shot. Is it...Terra?"

"Aww, how'd you know?" she whined, releasing her hands from my eyes.

"What can I say?" I boasted as she made her way around the bench I was sitting on, "I'm just that good." She crawled up, straddling my lap, and wrapped her arms around my neck.

"Is that so?" she said seductively. She cradled my chin in her palm and gently tilted my head upwards until my green eyes met her blue. She leaned in and we kissed, tender at first, but gradually increasing in passion and intensity. I slid my arms around her waist and up her back, allowing my hands to wander free.

She moved her kisses from my mouth to my face, trailing them up to my ear and down to my neck. I moaned and sighed, enjoying every second. "You know," I said breathlessly, "I didn't ask you here for this."

"Then why did you?" she whispered between kisses.

I paused. I knew this was going to kill the moment, but I had to tell her. "I kind of told the others about you," I said quickly.

She stopped in mid-kiss. Slowly, she pulled away and only stared at me. Suddenly, I felt the sharp sting of a slap on my cheek. I gasped in both shock and pain, automatically bringing my hand up to cover the sore area.

"What the heck did you do that for?" I yelled as I rubbed my cheek.

"You lied to me again," she hissed as she crawled off my lap and sat beside me, glaring the entire time.

"What do you mean, 'again'?" I said angrily, returning the glare.

She crossed her arms over her chest. "You told Robin that I couldn't control my powers after you promised that you wouldn't. When I returned, you said that you would always be my friend, yet you turned your back on me and left me with Slade. Now, you told the others about me after we agreed that you wouldn't until 'we' were ready. I was not ready, nor am I ready now." She looked away and began tapping her foot impatiently.

"Okay, first of all," I challenged, "I never told Robin you couldn't control your powers. He figured it out on his own. It comes from working with a detective, all right? I could have told you that if you had stuck around long enough rather than running off to Slade. Second, you asked me if I would always be your friend after you had already betrayed us by giving information to Slade about us and our home. If you want friends, you have to be a friend. And third, I 'kind of' told the others about you." I softened my tone. "They were growing suspicious of my constantly sneaking off and lying so I could see you, so I had to tell them something. I told them I was seeing someone 'like' you and they're okay with that. They want to meet you."

She wouldn't look at me. "No," she said flatly. "They want to meet this girl who is 'like' me. If they knew that it was really me...They'll never accept me back. Don't you understand that?" She began to cry and buried her face in her hands.

I began to reach for her but stopped. What was I supposed to say? That everything was all right? That it would all work out in the end? "No," I said quietly.

She looked up slowly as she sniffled and wiped her eyes. "What do you mean, 'no'?" she asked in confusion. She pulled a tissue from her pocked and blew her nose.

"I mean that, no, I don't understand," I explained. "Why won't the others take you back? I took you back, right?"

She sighed. "You're different," she said as though it should be completely obvious.

I thought about that for a moment. "Am I supposed to be flattered or offended?" I asked derisively.

She gave a small smile and took my hand in hers, squeezing slightly. "You're the first real friend I ever had, Beast Boy," she said quietly. "The first one who accepted me for who I am. You're a good person. You were willing to take me back the first time I returned. You make me laugh. You make me feel good about myself. I feel like I can tell you anything. And that's why I love you."

My eyes widened. I was speechless. Did she just say that she loves me? I thought in amazement. "I'm sorry," she mumbled as she released my hand and began to rise. "I'll go now." She had taken my silence as a bad sign.

Quickly, I snatched Terra's hand back in mine and gave a gentle pull so she fell back into my lap with a gasp. I stared at her as a smile played at the corners of my lips. "Terra," I confessed, "I love you, too." I gently caressed her cheek as her expression changed from misery to wonderment. She laid her head against my shoulder with a sigh as I moved my arms around her waist and held her.

"I'm sorry," I murmured after a few minutes, "for telling the others without your consent. If you're not ready to go back, then I won't pressure you." I thought for a moment. "I'll just tell them my girlfriend's shy, and if they don't like it, too bad."

She looked at me. "Did you just call me your 'girlfriend'?" she asked flirtatiously.

"And why shouldn't I?" I teased, giving her a small kiss on her head.

She gave a giggle and lifted her head to look at me. I lifted a hand and gently pushed a stray lock of hair out of her face. I let my hand roam free, down the side of her face until I touched her lips. She leaned in slowly, kissing me tenderly. She finally broke away and rested her head on my shoulder again.

"Thank you, Beast Boy," she whispered.

I rubbed her back soothingly, listening as her breathing slowed and evened out, indicating she had fallen asleep. I sat there for a few minutes, enjoying the peace that surrounded us. I hope the others will understand, I thought drowsily as I leaned my head against Terra's and dozed off.


	6. Chapter 6

A Thing of the Past, Chapter 6

"Could you be any more annoying?" Raven inquired from the couch in the living room.

I looked up from the kitchen table where I had been sitting, trying to think of something to get for Terra to celebrate our one month anniversary.

"Huh?" I said, coming out of my reverie.

"Ever the articulate one," she stated satirically as she went back to her book.

I shook my head, tired of trying to figure Raven out, and went back to the list in front of me. It was blank. It's not that I couldn't think of anything, it's just that they were all bad ideas. The others had gone out for the day, having their own errands to run, leaving just me and Raven.

Suddenly, my pencil levitated out of my hand. "Hey!" I yelped in surprise, reaching out to grab it but barely missing.

The pencil levitated over to Raven, landing easily in the palm of her hand. "The only good this seems to be doing you is as an amateur drummer," she said, "continuously tapping for the past hour now. Repetitiveness tends to get on one's nerves, you know."

I stared at her angrily before I went back to staring at my list. "Whatever," I murmured.

"What are you trying to do?" Raven asked, looking up from her book after about a minute of silence.

I sighed. "I've been trying to think of something to get—Sara." Raven slammed her book shut.

"Don't you mean Terra?" she asked accusingly.

I stared at her. My heart stopped, frozen with the shock I was feeling, then pounded back to life. How could she know? I wondered. We had been so careful. "How did you find out?" I asked quietly.

She only glared at me. "How did you find out?" I repeated, my voice rising in pitch.

"'Truth's like a fire, and will burn through and be seen,'" she murmured, an icy smile appearing on her face.

"Huh?" I asked confusedly.

"It's a quote from Maxwell Anderson," she said, holding up the book she had been reading.

Why can't she ever just give me a straight answer, I thought bitterly. "That doesn't explain how you found out," I said in irritation.

She sneered at me. "You talk in your sleep," she said as though it should have been completely obvious.

I looked at her suspiciously. "When have you seen me sleeping?" I questioned.

A small blush came to her cheeks, her anger forgotten for the moment. "A few days ago when we all watched those movies," she said quietly, almost shyly. "The others had already gone to bed. Usually, I'm the first to leave, but I really wanted to see that last movie." Her blush deepened. "You dozed off and slumped into my lap and began mumbling before I could wake you up."

She cleared her throat and took on a more serious tone. "At first, you were just talking about blue bunnies from Mars coming to steal our broccoli supply. Then, you said something that caught my attention: Sara was not real. So I thought I'd experiment by asking you some questions. You admitted that there never had been a Sara, that Sara was really Terra. That it was all a lie." She gave me a poisonous look. "And that's only the abridged version."

This is so not good, I thought tremulously. "Do the others know?" I asked anxiously as I made my way over to the couch.

"That you talk in your sleep? Yes. That Terra is back? I don't think so," she answered. I took Raven's hand in mine, squeezing slightly.

"Please, Raven, you can't tell them," I begged. "Not yet anyway. Not until Terra's ready. She thinks—"

"What?" Raven snapped, taking her hand back. "She thinks that somehow we'll all forget what she did to us? What she did to you? That just because she saved us all from a volcano, which, I might add, she caused to erupt, we'll all forgive her?" I jumped slightly when a light on the wall burst. I had never seen Raven show this much emotion before. It was somewhat scary, but also entrancing.

She sighed, trying to gain back some of her composure. "Beast Boy, you know she's just going to hurt you again. That's all she's ever done to you. What makes this time so different?"

"Because she's different," I explained. "She's sorry, really sorry, for what she did—"

"Then why doesn't she tell us this herself?" Raven interrupted.

"Like I said, she's not ready," I said quietly.

"When will she be ready?" she asked exasperatedly. "She's been back for, what, a month now? And all she's done is turn you against us. You were sneaking around and lying to us so you could go and see her. Even now you lie to us with this make-believe friend. When will it stop, Beast Boy?"

"I don't know," I yelled in frustration. "Try to put yourself in her place, okay? Think of what she must be going through—" I stopped suddenly. Wait a minute, I thought, I know what this is: Raven is jealous.

I smirked at her, scooting over so I could be closer to her. "Oh, Raven," I cooed. "It's okay. You don't have to be jealous of Terra. I just figured that since you have some—difficulty—with your emotions—"

Raven stood abruptly, her book falling to the floor. There was a horrified look on her face. "What are you talking about?" she asked abhorrently.

I stood slowly. "Well, about you and me, of course," I replied.

I stared at her, waiting for a response, when I felt the sharp sting of a slap. It was the second time I'd been slapped in a week. I began to rub my cheek, more from surprise than pain.

"You pompous, arrogant, self-centered twit," she seethed. Another light on the wall burst. "I am trying to help you, as a friend, yet all you do is twist my words to glorify yourself." The kitchen table flipped over and broke. "Well, fine, if that's how you want it, so be it. And when she hurts you, you'll have no one to turn to but yourself." The television shattered. "After all, that's what it's all about, isn't it? You." She bent over, scooped up her book, and stormed out of the room, breaking a few more lights on the way.

I stood there for a moment, stunned. Shaking my head sadly, I sat back down on the couch. I had no idea Raven was that jealous, I thought in amazement. A voice interrupted my thoughts.

"That didn't go very well," Terra commented from the doorway.

I looked up, not even surprised to see her. I patted the seat beside me. "No," I remarked as she sauntered over. "Not well at all. And I hate to think how the others will react."

She sat down and crossed her legs sensually. "Do you think she'll tell the others?" she asked casually.

"No," I replied certainly, crossing my arms over my chest and looking off into space. "Raven's good at keeping secrets."

"But what if she does tell?" Terra's voice had taken on a dangerous tone.

"I guess we'll have to do something about it then, won't we?" I responded coolly, giving her a light kiss on the cheek.

There's no turning back now, I thought in dismay. I looked at her face, the face of the young lady I had fallen in love with. A chill ran down my spine as she smiled the cruelest smile I have ever seen formed with human lips.


	7. Chapter 7

A Thing of the Past, Chapter 7

"Beast Boy, wake up! Raven's missing!" Robin yelled from my door.

My eyes snapped open. "Wha-?" I said dumbly, still not fully awake. I tried to unwrap myself from my sheets and ended up falling out of bed. "Oof!" I grunted when I hit the floor.

"This is no time for fooling around, Beast Boy," Robin said irritably. "Get dressed and meet me at Raven's room." I heard my door close.

I could only sit there in a daze. Raven's missing? I thought confusedly, finally getting the sheets off. I stood up slowly, looking around for my socks. Questions kept popping into my head as I began to panic. Had she been kidnapped? If so, then by whom? Was there a ransom note? Had something worse happened? Was she all right? And where in the world did I put that other boot!

My head began to hurt from all the unanswered questions floating around in there. "Stop it," I scolded myself out loud, shaking my head in an attempt to clear my thoughts. "Just think positively," I said calmly, finally locating the lost boot. "She's probably just fine," I said as I began to take off my pajamas. "Robin's probably just overreacting." I looked at the clock on my wall. "See," I said reassuringly, putting on my costume, "it's hardly past eight. She probably just went out to get some more tea or some new books. Something like that."

I knew I was only kidding myself and quickly finished strapping on my boots. I ran to Raven's room, stopping right outside her door, panting slightly. Even though I knew that she was gone, there was no way I was going to enter Raven's room without knocking first. The last time I entered without her permission, Cyborg and I ended up in her mind. I so did not want to go there again.

Suddenly, the door slid open to reveal Robin on the other side. "It's about time," he said crossly, going back into the room. I entered slowly, looking around to see if Raven's room had changed any since the last time I had been here. Nope, still dark and creepy.

At first glance, everything seemed normal enough. "So, what makes you think she's missing?" I asked, loitering by the door.

Robin was kneeling by Raven's unmade bed with some kind of strange glasses on. "One," he said as he stood and placed what looked like a tissue in a small baggie, "this has been doused with chloroform. It's nearly dry now, meaning it's probably been sitting here for awhile. Since chloroform is colorless, this could have just looked like a regular tissue tossed aside carelessly." He threw the baggie over to me. "Take a whiff."

I looked at him cautiously before opening the baggie and sniffing. "It doesn't smell bad," I commented, closing the baggie and tossing it back to him. "It's kinda nice, actually. Not that I want to make a cologne out of it, or anything."

"Exactly," he said, placing the baggie into his belt. "Another trademark of chloroform. I'm going to take this back to the lab and see if I can get anything else out of it. Two," he continued, making his way over to Raven's vanity, "the mirror over here is missing." Sure enough, there was a sort of frame on top of the vanity where a mirror could sit. "Yet, if it had been accidentally broken, there would be pieces over here somewhere. There are none. Instead, the broken pieces are all over there on or around the bed." He removed his strange glasses and pointed to the head of the bed. I moved closer to get a better look. There were a bunch of little pieces of mirror scattered about, some on the pillows, the sheets, even the floor.

"My guess," Robin said as he moved to the other side of the bed, "is that Raven was taken by surprise by her captor, yet was able to get in a couple of shots with the mirror by using her powers." He pulled out another baggie from his belt. "One of the pieces had a thread stuck on it which I wouldn't have been able to find without my night-vision glasses. It appears to be black, though it's hard to say in this light. I'm taking it back to the lab to analyze it." He put the baggie back into his belt.

"And three," he pushed on, moving over to the windows and pushing aside the curtain, "this window has been broken." I came over and stood beside him. The window on the far left, closest to the bed, had been smashed open, yet there was no glass on the floor. I mentioned this to Robin.

"Good eye, Beast Boy," he commended. "That's because all the glass is outside. Somebody broke it to leave, not to enter. For some reason, the captor was not able to leave the same way he came. Which is puzzling. The alarm should have gone off when the window was broken. Somehow the captor knew the codes to get in and shut off the alarm. And the only ones who know those codes are the Titans." He turned and looked at me suspiciously, crossing his arms over his chest. "You were the last one to see Raven. Care to tell me what happened last night?"

"What do you mean?" I asked innocently, still looking at the window.

"Don't play dumb, Beast Boy," he said angrily. "I came home last night to find Starfire and Cyborg cleaning up the living room. The TV, the kitchen table, and a bunch of lights were broken. You and Raven were the only ones here. Any idea how that happened?"

I began to wander around the room, trying to find anything else that might help us. "What's there to say?" I retorted. "Raven lost control of her powers. Big deal. It's not the first time it's happened."

"But why did she lose control of her powers?" he argued. "Did you say something or do something—"

I spun around and scowled at him. "Why is it always my fault?" I interrupted him furiously. "Everything that's wrong around here is my fault. Why don't you just come out and say it: you think I did it, don't you?"

He only stood there, staring at me sternly. He didn't say he blamed me. Of course, he didn't say that he didn't blame me, either. "I'm outta here," I muttered and began to leave.

"Just tell me what happened," Robin said quietly.

I lost control. "We had a fight," I yelled. "There. Ya happy? It was my fault, okay? We had a fight, I said some stupid things, like always, and she let some of her emotions out causing her to break a few things." Tears began to well up in my eyes. "And now she's gone." My voice was beginning to tremble.

I felt a hand on my shoulder and turned around slowly. Robin had a sympathetic look on her face. "I don't blame you for anything," he said, trying to console me. I wiped my eyes with my gloves, trying to keep him from seeing me cry. "We'll find her. I've already got Starfire and Cyborg out searching the city. If you'd like, you can go and join them. I'm sure they'd welcome the help. As for me," he said, returning to his normal determined and businesslike self, "I'm going to take this stuff down to the lab now."

He began to leave, but stopped at the door, not turning around. "Oh, yeah, and if you have any ideas about who may have done this," he said carelessly, "anyone who may have been aware of our codes, let me know, okay?" He left without another word.

I stood there for a moment, staring at nothing in particular, thinking about what he had said. And then it came to me: he was referring to Sara. Or did he mean Terra? Did this mean he knew she was back? I panicked and morphed into a crow, flying out the broken window, knowing only that I had to get to Terra as fast as I could.


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: I need to thank all the people who have been reviewing my story. Thank you! So far, they've all been good reviews! For those of you who have been wondering, the end of this story is very near!

A Thing of the Past, Chapter 8

I can't believe this is where Terra is staying, I thought as I landed on the sidewalk and morphed back into my human form.

I was standing outside an old abandoned house located in the more rundown part of town. Houses around it had been torn down years ago, yet for some reason, this one still remained. Though it was a beautiful day out, there was no beauty to be seen here.

The outside, once a bright yellow, had faded nearly to white in some areas along with chipping and peeling paint. All the windows had been broken from vigilantes tossing rocks and other debris at them. The yard was nothing more than dirt with a few dead trees.

Some boards were nailed over the entrance since the front door was missing. I assumed somebody was hoping this would discourage intruders. I changed into a mouse and easily scurried under, changing back on the other side.

The inside was much worse than the outside. The room I was in made my room look clean. It was, for lack of better words, a living room. Since the electricity had been cut years ago, the only light in the whole house came from the broken windows. Garbage was strewn everywhere. There was a foul odor that was beginning to make me nauseous. Wallpaper was peeling and torn with profanities spray painted in its place.

I cautiously made my way over to the staircase on my left, knowing that Terra would be upstairs. The banister had already fallen off, leaving me nothing to hold as I ascended. The stairs, ready to collapse at any moment, creaked and groaned with every step I took, yet I was able to make it safely to the top. I sighed with relief.

I found myself in a small hallway with four doors: two on my left, one on my right, and one straight ahead where the hallway ended. They were all closed. I decided to try them all.

The first door on my left opened noisily to reveal a bathroom. Tiles were missing from the once white floor. There was an old-fashioned chipped sink with rust stains sitting on a pedestal. A rusted, broken mirror/medicine cabinet combination barely hung above the sink. The toilet had been tipped over, cracking the tank cover, and leaving water stains all over the floor.

I closed the bathroom door and tried the other doors. Two of them were locked which only left me with the door at the end of the hallway. The door opened easily and I found myself in a large bedroom. Compared to the other rooms I had seen, it was relatively clean. There was no garbage on the solid wood floor or graphite on the pale green walls. A large five-drawer dresser in the corner had been reduced to a three-drawer dresser. An armoire, scratched beyond repair, stood beside it. A cracked mirror hung precariously on the opposite wall. A queen sized bed sat in the middle of the room, and, snuggled under the covers, was Terra.

I tiptoe over and sit gently on the edge of the bed, cringing slightly as it squeaks under the new weight. She stirs, but does not appear to awaken. I smile affectionately and push a stray piece of hair off of her face.

"You know," she mumbles, opening an eye and smiling mischievously at me, "in the fairy tales, a prince will kiss the princess in order to awaken her."

I chuckle and lean over, kissing her gently on the lips. As our kiss begins to deepen, I remember why I came and abruptly pull away. She gives me a questioning look.

"What's the matter?" she asks quietly, pushing herself up into a sitting position.

The sheets slide off and show that she is wearing a rather revealing black camisole. My eyes stray downward towards the exposed flesh. After a few moments of staring, she giggles, snapping me out of my daydream. I bring my head up swiftly, my eyes as wide as saucers. She was looking at me flirtatiously and I could feel my cheeks begin to grow warm. I rise from the bed and begin to wander, trying to look anywhere but at her.

"Am I making you uncomfortable?" she asks sensually.

I gave a small laugh. "No, of course not," I said sardonically, still not looking at her.

"Mm-hmm," she murmured. I heard the bed squeak, which I hoped indicated that she was getting up to get dressed. "So why are you here?" Her voice had taken on a serious tone. I heard her open one of the dresser drawers. "I thought we already made plans on when we would be meeting this week."

I had made my way over to the cracked mirror and could see that Terra was standing in front of the dresser. She had already thrown on a pair of khaki shorts and was now removing the camisole. I stood there, staring hungrily at the reflection of her bare backside.

"Enjoying the view?" she asked knowingly after a few moments of silence. She looked over her shoulder at me and smiled.

I turned my head downwards, finding my boots incredibly interesting at that moment, as my cheeks began to grow warm again. I cleared my throat as I tried to get my thoughts in order. "I only came here because it's an emergency," I said hastily. "Raven's been kidnapped and I think Robin thinks you might have done it"

I flinched, expecting Terra to blow up at me about Robin finding out, but she didn't. Did this mean she was more concerned about Raven? I chanced a glance behind me to make sure she was decent and turned around. She had gone back to the bed and sat down to put on her boots. There was a dispassionate look on her face, almost as if she were bored. I took a few steps slowly towards her.

"Terra?" I asked cautiously. "Did you hear me?"

"Raven's missing and Robin thinks I did it," she said carelessly and looked at me apathetically. "Yeah, I know." She went back to tying her boots.

I could only stand there, staring at her dumbly as her statement sank in. "You know? Like, you knew before I came here?" I asked confusedly.

"Is this really news to you?" she asked as she put on her gloves and rose from the bed.

I took a step back. "What are you saying?" I asked fearfully.

She looked at me, her face void of any emotion, and crossed her arms over her chest. "I think you know what I'm saying," she said unconcernedly. "You already know where Raven is because you were there when I took her. Or rather, we took her."


	9. Chapter 9

A Thing of the Past, Chapter 9

"We did it together," Terra said as she began to advance towards me.

"No," I said tremulously, slowly backing away. "That can't be. I was at the Tower sleeping. I was there all night."

"Maybe you were, maybe you weren't," she said smugly. "What do you remember about last night?"

"Nothing," I said quickly, bumping into the wall and sending the already unstable mirror crashing to the floor. I jumped slightly at the noise, but never took my eyes off Terra. "I told you, I was sleeping."

She stopped only inches away from me. "Allow me to depict the events of last night," she said, lowering her voice and making it sound almost secretive. "You snuck down to the lab and stole some chloroform. Then you went to Raven's room, wanting to 'talk' about the little fight you two had. She invited you in and you jumped her from behind. She was able to get a few words out in an attempt to defend herself before passing out. Poor choice with the mirror. You were going to take her away through the front door, but thought you heard the others returning. You broke the window, changed into a pterodactyl, and flew Raven to her new whereabouts."

A part of my mind that I did not want to listen to was trying to tell me that it was all true. As Terra spoke, the images played out before me. It was like watching a movie. I saw myself doing all the things she described. And through it all, Terra was beside me, showing me which bottle to take, coaching me on what to say to Raven, encouraging me to hold on a little longer while Raven slipped into unconsciousness.

I closed my eyes tightly and tilted my head down. I was in a state a tiny bit beyond scared, where shock and dread stood as equals. "This can't be happening," I moaned. "Why would I ever do those things?"

"Because you knew it was the only way," she said in a quiet, level voice. "Now we don't have to worry and we can stay together. Isn't that what you want?"

I could feel her fingertips brush against my cheek. My eyes snapped open and I brought my head up quickly. "Don't touch me," I yelled, slapping her hand away from me. I shifted my eyes to the door and took a step in that direction, only to have Terra block my path.

"Where do you think you're going?" she asked harshly.

"Anywhere, as long as you're not there," I retorted sharply.

She sighed. "I'm afraid that's not possible," she said calmly. "You see, we're stuck together." She bent down and picked up a large piece of the broken mirror, placing a corner against her cheek after standing up again. She cut herself, quickly and smoothly, yet I was the one who hissed at the stinging pain. I brought my hand up to my cheek and when I took it away, there was blood on my glove.

My eyes widened as my breathing became more rapid. I was on the verge of hysteria. I looked to Terra for answers only to find there were no cuts on her face. She held up her hands to show that they were empty. I looked down to find that I was holding the piece of mirror and dropped it instantly. I slid down to the floor, slowly, too confused to understand any of this.

"Impossible," I breathed. "You—How?—No—Why?" My thoughts were so cluttered, I couldn't even form a proper sentence. I chose to just sit there as the blood slipped down my cheek onto my shirt.

Terra sat down in front of me, crossing her legs and brushing aside any broken pieces of mirror that were in her way. She stared at me for a moment before speaking. "That's definitely going to leave a scar. Do you want me to get you a tissue or something?" she asked with genuine concern.

"Tell me what is going on, Terra," I pleaded as I looked at her.

She gave me a questioning look. "Haven't you figured it out yet?"

"Figured out what?" I asked, though I really didn't want to know the answer.

"I'm you. You're me. We share the same body," she answered as though it should have been completely obvious.

"No," I whispered after a few moments. "It can't be." I knew I was only lying to myself as I felt the evidence still dripping down my cheek.

"Are you sure you don't want me to get you something for your cut?" she asked.

"Damn it, forget about the cut," I yelled, slapping my hand over the cut and wincing slightly at the pain. "So, what, am I possessed or something?"

She must have liked that because she laughed. "If only it were that easy," she said while beaming. "No, see, sometimes you control the body, like when you're awake, and sometimes I control it, like when you're sleeping, though I have been able to get in a few times when you're awake, like with the mirror a few minutes ago."

"Who's in control now?" I asked cautiously.

"You are," she answered. "When we're together, in the same place like this, it's because you're imagining one of us here. Like last night, when we took Raven, I really did all the work, but you imagined that it was really you. Perhaps you have some issues with her, hmm? Of course, don't think that means you can just walk out of here." She tapped her cheek as a reminder.

"But we've been out in public together," I countered.

"You are the only one who can see me and interact with me," she explained. "Besides, since you were trying to make sure nobody knew I was back, most of the places we've gone to have been rather secluded."

She was right. I went back in my mind to all the times we'd been together, all the different places we were at, and I couldn't think of one person having talked to us or vice versa. I was beginning to feel ill. After all, it's not everyday one finds out he's crazy.

"So, how about we go check up on Raven?" Terra asked brightly as she stood up.

I looked at her, puzzled. "Where is she?"

"You tell me," she replied.

I sat there for a moment, looking at nothing in particular, when it dawned on me. "She's in the room next door."

"Very good," Terra responded, holding her hand out to me to help me up.

I reached out for her, still not totally understanding any of this, when I heard the voice.

"Beast Boy? Are you up there?" Robin called from downstairs.

My eyes widened in horror as I looked at Terra. I was frozen in mid-reach. She smiled, a sly sort of smile that seemed to cherish forbidden pleasure.

"This ought to be interesting," she commented as she pulled me up.

A/N: I only have one more chapter planned for this story and if all goes according to plan, it should be up in about two weeks. If that's too long for you, I'm sorry, but I have another story I'm working on at this time (I Miss My Mind the Most) and need to devote as much time to it as I do to this one.


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: Well, things did not go according to plan. I came up with a better ending (at least I think it's better) but it's going to require another chapter which will take me another two weeks to write. Maybe if I got some more reviews, it would help me to write faster. Who knows?

A Thing of the Past, Chapter 10

"What are we going to do?" I whispered frantically.

"Well, I have an idea," Terra admitted. "But I know you're not going to like it." I looked at her expectantly. "You can lock him in with Raven and leave Jump City."

There was only silence in the room. "You're right," I said finally. "I don't like the idea." She only shrugged.

"Beast Boy? Are you up there?" Robin called and I heard the stairs creaking as he began to come up.

"What if I just tell him the truth?" I asked with a note of excitement in my voice.

Terra looked at me quizzically. "And you thought my idea was bad. What exactly do you plan on telling him?"

I thought for a moment. "That I haven't been myself lately?" I responded timidly.

She chuckled bitterly. "That's an understatement. And how do you think he'll react to that?" I opened my mouth to reply but she interrupted me. "I'll tell you how: he's going to lock you up and throw away the key."

I looked at her, feeling unsure. "Robin's my friend. He would never do that," I said feebly.

She lowered her head and rubbed the bridge of her nose with her thumb and forefinger as though to stave off a headache. "You are so naïve," she whispered wearily. "He is a crime fighter. He throws people who are guilty of committing crimes into prison. Right now, you are guilty of kidnapping."

"But I didn't do it, you did," I retorted angrily.

She looked up at me and crossed her arms. "I may have done it, but I used your body, remember?" she replied, just as angry. "You tell him two people are using your body, and rather than going to prison, you're going to a nut house. Does that sound any better?"

I moved over to the bed and sat down, causing the bed to creak again, but I paid it no heed. "What am I going to do?" I whispered fearfully. I leaned over, resting my head in my hands as my despair grew.

Terra came and sat beside me, wrapping an arm around my waist and laying her head against my shoulder. "I already told you what to do," she whispered. "You know that it's the only way."

I sat there for a moment when it dawned on me. "There's another way," I breathed, lifting my head suddenly. I looked at Terra as she raised her head slowly, worry beginning to show on her face. "You know what I'm talking about, don't you?" I asked earnestly.

She turned her head away from me, but I could hear her voice shaking slightly. "You'll never be able to do it," she mumbled. Moving away from me, she began to play with her fingers nervously.

"Just watch me," I said determinedly as I stood up and made my way to the door. I opened it to reveal Robin standing on the other side. He lifted his eyebrows at me and blinked, his hand still extended to where the doorknob had been a moment ago.

"Hello, Robin," I said quietly.

He took a step back and lowered his hand, slowly, keeping it close to his belt, watching me leerily. His surprised look changed to one of confusion. "Why didn't you answer me, Beast Boy?" he asked. "And what happened to your face?"

I assumed he meant the scratch. "I had an accident and was preoccupied in trying to stop the bleeding," I lied, stepping out into the hall. I turned to close the door behind me, but before I could, Terra stopped me by placing her foot in the way.

"You'll need this," she whispered, holding out her hand. In her palm sat a small key. I instantly knew what it was for and grabbed it before closing the door. I turned back to Robin and hid my hand behind my back.

"So, what brings you here?" I asked carelessly.

He was still looking at me warily. "I think you know," he answered. There was a brief silence. "I've come to find Raven," he finally continued. "You know where she is, don't you?"

I stood there, sizing him up, wondering how I was going to pull this off. "And what makes you think that?" I asked coolly.

I could see that I was beginning to annoy him. "Just tell me where she is," he said dangerously.

"You mean the Boy Wonder hasn't figured it out yet?" I snickered. "That's gotta be a first." My eyes widened as I realized what I had just said. Terra was beginning to rub off on me. I knew I had to get out of here, and fast.

Robin grabbed my collar and slammed me against the door, causing me to hit my head. I winced slightly from the pain. He was definitely angry. "If you've hurt her-" he hissed, his face only an inch away from mine.

"Chill, dude," I said lightly. I cocked my head to the door on my right. "She's in there. You'll need this, too." I held the key out to him. He released me, snatching the key away. He unlocked the door and hurried inside.

I followed him, but remained near the doorway, taking in my surroundings. It was similar to the other room, except there was more garbage and less furniture. And sitting in the middle of the room on an old wooden chair facing opposite the door was Raven. Her wrists and ankles were tied to the chair itself while a gag kept her quiet. Robin had already removed her blindfold and was now working on her wrists, asking her questions as he worked which she obviously couldn't answer.

I looked around. I needed to get out of here, but I couldn't have Robin and Raven following me. I had to find a way to slow them down. I found a post from the banister conveniently lying nearby and picked it up. This would have to do.

I sluggishly made my way over to Robin and Raven, wishing I didn't have to do this, and stopped just behind Robin. I took my stance and cocked the piece of banister like a baseball bat. I closed my eyes and swung, hitting Robin cleanly in the back of the head. I heard him moan and opened my eyes in time to see him slump to the floor as I dropped the piece of banister. I knelt beside him and checked his pulse and breathing. He was going to be all right, but he still needed to get to a hospital. I stood up and moved around to the front of the chair so I could face Raven.

She stared at me, trying to keep her composure, but I knew she was frightened. I reached out to her, only to have her cringe away from me. My hand dropped lifelessly to my side as a tear came sliding down my cheek.

"I'm so sorry Raven," I whispered. "I never intended for this to happen. Robin's loosened your wrist enough that you should be able to get out on your own. Be sure and get him to a doctor. Tell him I'm sorry, too. I'm about to go and do something that will hurt me, but I hope it will make things right." I turned from her as more tears began to stream down my cheeks. I morphed into a crow and flew out the broken window, hoping I was strong enough to do this.


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: It's definitely the last chapter! It's about time, I know, but hopefully you'll like it. Don't forget to review!

A Thing of the Past, Chapter 11

"What took you so long?" Terra asked spitefully after I landed and morphed into my human form. She was leaning against the opening of the cave with her arms crossed over her chest. She was trying to look cool, but I could tell she was nervous from the way she kept crossing and re-crossing her arms.

I scowled at her. "Why do you bother asking when you already know the answer?" I retorted. "I stopped by the Tower to pick up a flashlight, okay? It's dark in there."

She put on a pouty face. "What's the matter? Is baby afwaid of the dawk?" she asked in a little voice.

I ignored her and began making my way inside. I turned the flashlight on and moved it around as I tried to get my bearings. It had been months since I came here last. I continued walking.

The first couple weeks after Terra's sacrifice, I would come here almost every day. Some days I would just sit in front of her and cry, others I would rant and rave about why she had done it, and others I would merely sit, as though I was expecting something to happen. Every time I left, though, I would feel worse, emotionally and physically, than when I had arrived.

The visits became fewer and fewer until finally they stopped altogether. It was time to get on with my life. I knew Terra would have wanted it that way.

When I thought she had returned about a month ago, I never came here to see if her story checked out. That was more like something Robin would do. If I had, I probably could have saved myself a lot of grief.

Standing before me atop her pedestal was the real Terra, in a petrified-like state, as she redeemed herself by making the ultimate sacrifice. I stared at her for a few moments. Finally, I set the flashlight down and turned it on bright, allowing it to flood the cavern with its light.

"It all comes down to this," Terra said as she emerged from behind the petrified-like Terra. "Can you really do it, Beast Boy? Can you kill the love of your life?"

"She's already dead," I mumbled, trying to convince myself that it was true.

"You don't know that for sure," she responded, tapping lightly on the head of the Terra-statue. "This could merely be a cocoon in which the real Terra is sleeping, awaiting the day when she can break free and be a beautiful butterfly. Break the cocoon too soon, and you kill the butterfly."

"No," I said after a brief hesitation. "This isn't like when Starfire had her transformation. This is something different. She was hit with magma and when it cooled, it left this copy of her."

"Is that what you really think?" Terra asked flatly. "It's an awfully good copy."

"Yes," I answered instantly, trying not to let her see that I was lying. It was a foolish attempt, since she already knew everything about me. She was me, after all.

She closed her eyes and shook her head slightly, as though she were very disappointed in me. "You think that by destroying this Terra, you'll be able to get rid of me," she said kindly as she pointed to the Terra-statue. "But I'll let you in on a little secret: you're only fooling yourself."

"Y-you're l-lying," I stuttered. "You wouldn't be trying so hard to stop me if it wasn't true."

"Perhaps," she said with a shrug. "Are you willing to take that risk? If you destroy the real Terra, there's no going back. She'll be gone. Now me—well, let's just say I don't plan on going anywhere for a long time."

"Plans change," I said, my voice becoming serious, almost sad. "The only reason you're here at all is because of the hope I have that the real Terra will return. By destroying that hope, I destroy you. It may not be the smartest thing I'll ever do, but I know that it's the right thing. Good-bye, Terra."

I crawled up on the pedestal and moved slowly toward the Terra-statue, stopping a few inches away from it. Tears were beginning to stream down my cheeks. I leaned in and kissed the Terra-statue lightly on the cheek. "Good-bye," I whispered. "I'll never forget you." I moved back and morphed into my gorilla form.

"No, wait," Terra said, a note of desperation entering her voice as I lifted my arms above my head. "I told you, this isn't going to work," Terra continued in a shaky voice that no longer sounded so convincing.

That was all I needed. I let out a roar like none other and swung down, closing my eyes at the last moment as Terra screamed in the background. My arms stopped when they made contact with the Terra-statue and I heard it break from the impact as some pieces flew out and hit me.

I stood there for a few moments, tears still escaping my tightly closed eyes, before allowing my arms to fall to my sides limply. I morphed back to my human form and fell to my knees lifelessly. The cavern was silent, save for my occasional sobs.

Finally, I opened my eyes. There was nothing but a pile of rubble in the place of the Terra-statue. I cried out and crawled over, thrusting my hands into the pile and letting the small pieces sift through my fingers as the pain racked my entire body.

I felt a light touch on my shoulder and turned around slowly, expecting Terra but finding it was Raven instead. She lowered her hood and came down to my level. She placed her hands on my shoulders and cautiously pulled me towards her, allowing me to rest my head on her shoulder. We sat like that for a while, me crying on Raven's shoulder while she caressed my hair and rocked slightly from side to side. Having calmed down, I pulled back, feeling slightly embarrassed. Out of seemingly nowhere, she produced a tissue and handed it to me.

"I think you need this," she said in her usual toneless voice.

"Thanks," I said and hiccupped.

"So, was it worth it?" she asked after giving me a few moments to clean up.

I looked at her confusedly. "What?"

"Was it worth it?" she repeated. "Giving up your happiness to save the rest of us? Giving up your hope for your sanity? Or do you wish you could go back and do everything differently?"

I sighed. "Part of me wishes I could go back," I answered truthfully. "But a larger part of me knows that it had to be done. I hope it was worth it."

She looked at me, as though she were trying to find something. With a slight nod, she began to rise to her feet. "I think it was," she said, holding out her hands and helping me up. "Let's go talk to Robin."

I cringed slightly. "Do you think he'll be angry with me?"

She gave a small smile. "Well, you only gave him a concussion. I'm sure if you had knocked him into a coma, he would be a lot angrier. Come on." She took my hand, lacing her fingers with mine and we left together.


End file.
